''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' is a 1941 American

screwball A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch softball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action. The pitch is sometimes known ...

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

starring James Cagney as an airplane pilot and

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...

as a runaway heiress, and directed by

William Keighley William Jackson Keighley (August 4, 1889 – June 24, 1984) was an American stage actor and Hollywood film director. Career After graduating from the Ludlum School of Dramatic Art, Keighley began acting at the age of 23. By the 1910s and 1920s ...

. Although the film was publicized as the first screen pairing of

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

' two biggest stars, they had actually made '' Jimmy the Gent'' together in 1934, and had wanted to find another opportunity to work together. The screenplay was written by Kenneth Earl, M. M. Musselman, and twins

Julius J. Epstein Julius J. Epstein (August 22, 1909December 30, 2000) was an American screenwriter, who had a long career, best remembered for his screenplay, written with his twin brother, Philip, and Howard E. Koch, of the film ''Casablanca'' (1942), for whic ...

and

Philip G. Epstein Philip G. Epstein (August 22, 1909 – February 7, 1952) was an American screenwriter most known for his screenplay for the film ''Casablanca'' (1942), which won an Academy Award. He had written it in partnership with his twin brother Julius and ...

. The basic plot owes much to ''

It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...

'', in which an heiress seeks to marry a playboy of whom her father disapproves, only to end up with a charming working man.

Plot

Pilot Steve Collins ( James Cagney) agrees to help bandleader Alan Brice (

Jack Carson John Elmer Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born American film actor. Carson often played the role of comedic friend in films of the 1940s and 1950s, including ''The Strawberry Blonde'' (1941) with James Cagney and ...

) and heiress Joan Winfield (

)

elope Elopement is a term that is used in reference to a marriage which is conducted in a sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of getting ma ...

. Steve then contacts her father Lucius (

Eugene Pallette Eugene William Pallette (July 8, 1889 – September 3, 1954) was an American actor who worked in both the silent and sound eras, performing in more than 240 productions between 1913 and 1946. After an early career as a slender leading man, ...

), offering to prevent the marriage and deliver her to him in return for enough money to get out of debt. Steve tricks Alan into getting off the aircraft, then takes off with Joan. When an irate Joan tries to jump out of the aircraft, Steve sees that she has her parachute on backwards and is forced to crash land near the

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

of Bonanza. The next morning, they encounter the lone resident, "Pop" Tolliver (

Harry Davenport Harry Davenport may refer to: * Harry Davenport (actor) (1866–1949), American film and stage actor * Harry Davenport (footballer) (1900–1984), Australian footballer * Harry J. Davenport (1902–1977), Democratic Party member of the U.S. House ...

). Joan escapes into an abandoned mine. When Steve follows her, they are trapped by a cave-in. Steve finds a way out, but hides it from Joan on the advice of Pop. Believing that they are going to die, Joan re-examines her frivolous life with great regret. Steve admits he loves her, but when he kisses her, she tastes food on his lips and realizes he has found a way out. They exit the mine to find that Alan has tracked them down, accompanied by a Nevada judge. Steve does not object when Alan and Joan get married, hiding the fact that Bonanza is in California and therefore the wedding is invalid. The "newlyweds" board another aircraft, but when Joan figures out that they are not really married, she parachutes out to be reunited with Steve. They get married with her father's approval and honeymoon in Bonanza.

Cast

* James Cagney as Steve Collins *

as Joan Winfield * Stuart Erwin as Tommy Keenan *

as Lucius K. Winfield *

as Alan Brice *

George Tobias George Tobias (July 14, 1901 – February 27, 1980) was an American theater, film and television actor. He had character parts and supporting roles in several major films of Hollywood's Golden Age. He is also known for his role as Abner K ...

as Peewee Dafoe *

William Frawley William Clement Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American vaudevillian and actor best remembered for playing landlord Fred Mertz in the American television sitcom '' I Love Lucy'', "Bub" O'Casey in the television comedy ser ...

as Sheriff McGee *

as "Pop" Tolliver * Edward Brophy as Hinkle *

Harry Holman Harry James Holman (March 15, 1862 – May 3, 1947) was an American character actor. He appeared in approximately 130 films between 1923 and 1947. Biography Born in Conway, Missouri, Holman dropped out of school in the ninth grade an ...

as Judge Sobler * Chick Chandler as First Reporter * Douglas Kennedy (credited as Keith Douglas) as Second Reporter *

Herbert Anderson Herbert Anderson (March 30, 1917 – June 11, 1994) was an American character actor from Oakland, California, probably best remembered for his role as Henry Mitchell, the father, on the CBS television sitcom '' Dennis the Menace.'' Back ...

as Third Reporter * William Newell as McGee's Pilot *

William Hopper William DeWolf Hopper Jr. (January 26, 1915 – March 6, 1970) was an American stage, film, and television actor. The only child of actor DeWolf Hopper and actress and Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper, he appeared in predominantly minor r ...

as Keenan's Pilot * William Forrest Asst. Dist. Atty. Edwards Source:"Full credits: The Bride Came C.O.D."
''Turner Classic Movies.'' Retrieved: October 12, 2022.

Production

Both Cagney and Davis were interested in changing their movie personas, with Cagney moving away from the gangster-themed roles, while Davis had been seen only in serious dramas, and a romantic comedy was the way. Cagney insisted on having his brother, William, produce the film, with his past success of ''

Captains of the Clouds ''Captains of the Clouds'' ( ''Shadows of Their Wings'') is a 1942 American war film in Technicolor, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring James Cagney. It was produced by William Cagney (Cagney's brother), with Hal B. Wallis as executive p ...

'' (1942) proving that he could move from acting to producing. After their work on ''

The Strawberry Blonde ''The Strawberry Blonde'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh, starring James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland, and featuring Rita Hayworth, Alan Hale, Jack Carson, and George Tobias. Set in New York City arou ...

'' (1941), the Cagneys also brought in Julius and Phil Epstein to "invigorate" the script. Davis wasn't the first choice for the Joan Winfield part, as Ann Sheridan,

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

and

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

were considered before the role was earmarked for

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

. With the backing of

Hal Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing ''Casablanca'' (1942), ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and '' True Grit'' (1969), along wi ...

, however, Davis got the coveted role.Miller, Frank
"Article: The Bride Came C.O.D."
''Turner Classic Movies.'' Retrieved: October 12, 2022. Principal photography took place in the

Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the ...

, California in January 1941, and was problematic as temperatures soared, the script problems were unresolved and one of the stars actually fell into a cactus, with Davis having 45 quills pulled out of her rear. Aircraft used in the film included examples of contemporary Aeronca,

Bellanca AviaBellanca Aircraft Corporation was an American aircraft design and manufacturing company. Prior to 1983, it was known as the Bellanca Aircraft Company. The company was founded in 1927 by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca, although it was preceded by p ...

, Cessna, Lockheed, Ryan and

Waco Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the st ...

aircraft, photographed at the

Burbank Airport Hollywood Burbank Airport, legally and formerly marketed as Bob Hope Airport after entertainer Bob Hope , is a public airport northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. e ...

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' dismissed ''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' as "a serviceable romp." Reviewer Archer Winston in ''

The New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

'' succinctly put it: "Okay, Jimmie and Bette. You've had your fling. Now go back to work." Despite the critical reviews, the film was a popular favorite, and one of the year's top 20 box-office films. For her part, in her later biographies and interviews, Bette Davis derided ''The Bride Came C.O.D.'', sarcastically saying, "it was called a comedy." She would also complain that "all she got out of the film was a derriere full of cactus quills." A year later, animator Chuck Jones spoofed the film in the

Conrad Cat cartoon, "The Bird Came C.O.D." More recent reviews have described the film as neither "memorable nor funny" but said that the two stars still are worth watching even in a forgettable formula feature.

Radio adaptation

''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' was presented on ''

Lux Radio Theatre ''Lux Radio Theatre'', sometimes spelled ''Lux Radio Theater'', a classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the NBC Blue Network (1934–35) (owned by the National Broadcasting Company, later predecessor of American Broadcasting Company ...

'' on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

on December 29, 1941. The adaptation starred

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

and

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

References

Explanatory notes Citations Bibliography * Cagney, James. ''Cagney by Cagney''. New York: Doubleday, 1976. . * Chandler, Charlotte. ''The Girl Who Walked Home Alone: Bette Davis, A Personal Biography''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. . * McCabe, John. ''Cagney''. London: Aurum Press, 2002. . * McGilligan, Patrick. ''Cagney: The Actor as Auteur''. New York: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1975. . * Orriss, Bruce. ''When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II''. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. . * Schickel, Richard and George Perry. ''Bette Davis: Larger than Life.'' Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press, 2009. . * Sikov, Ed. ''Dark Victory: The Life of Bette Davis''. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2007. . * Warren, Doug and James Cagney. ''Cagney: The Authorized Biography''. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1986, First edition 1983. .

External links

* * * *
TCM article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bride Came C.O.D., The 1941 films 1941 romantic comedy films 1940s screwball comedy films American aviation films American black-and-white films Films directed by William Keighley Films scored by Max Steiner 1940s English-language films American romantic comedy films American screwball comedy films Films with screenplays by Julius J. Epstein Films with screenplays by Philip G. Epstein Warner Bros. films 1940s American films